Ice-making



March 31, 1953 R. F. LAUER ET AL 2,633,005

ATToR 4 5 March 3l, 1953 R. F. I AUER ET AL 2,533,005`

ICE-MAKING Filed July 17, 1950 2 SHEETS- SHEET 2 H w, if w., W21, am

a mw l www l@ www. fm Y Patented Mar. 31, 1953 ICE-MAKING Rodney F. Lauer, Arcadia, and Claude V. Shurt- `lel, Los Angeles, Calif., assignors to Flakice Corporation, Brooklyn, N.,Y., a, corporationlof Delaware Applicationr July 17, 1950,-Serial No. 174,216

. 5 Claims.

g .Thisdnvention relates to refrigeration, and moresin particular to making ice in the form of cubes or the like by the use of machines such as those disclosed. in the copending applications of Meldon-.Gerald lleeson,l Serial No. 573,939, filed January. 22,1945, and Serial No. 686,021, filed July 24, 1946, now Patents 2,524,815 and 2,549,747, and. oiwilliam M. Grandia,` SerialNo, 57,158,

filed October 29,- 1948; now` Patent No. 2,593,874.

The above-identified yapplications disclose machines and methods for makingice inthe form of cubes which mayhave cylindrical holes-therethrough; The illustrative embodiment of the present' invention vcomprisesV an ice-making machine ory apparatus which; except as specifically pointed outfs identical 4with that 'disclosedin application Serial No.v 57,158, now Patent No. 21,593,874.V Which, in turn, `incorporates specific structure shown in application Serial No. 686,021, now Patent No. 2,549,747.` The structure herein disclosed is therefore described only sufficiently rforthe understanding of the `present invention,

and reference may be had to the above-identified copending applications for more detailed discussions'of certain features of construction and operation of this general type of apparatus.

It isa'n object of the present inventionto provide Iimproved apparatus `of the above character andjt provide an improved mode of operation thereof. Itis ja. further object to provide irnproved ,modesv of loperation andcontrol for ap'- paratus dfftlie 'above Vvcl `i`aracter.f1t is 'a further objectlto'provide for the above With apparatus which isv lpractical in every respect from alecmmercial standpoint. These and other objectsv will hamper@ Obvious and Willie per# be'ipented out belOW- Y 'Ihe'invention `accordingly consists in the features ofconstruction, combinationsof elements, andlarrangements of Vparts as will be exemplified in the structure to be hereinafter described and the scope of the `application of which will be indicatedin thefollowing claims. 1 4 Y In the illustrative embodiment ofthe invention-disclosed in applicationA Serial No. 57,1`58, nowiPatent No.2,593,874, ice cubes `are formed by V,first freezingV the Water to form ice rods'- or columns which are square in cross-section and `may have a cylindrical hole therethrough, and

thesecolumns 4are melted free and then are ,cut

through Lvertical freezing tubes which form'pas-4 sageways along the sidewallsof which the water flows` While these walls are refrigerated suffi-Kl ciently to cause ice to build up. rIhe rate of flow andthe other conditions are so controlled that` clear,` hard ice builds up in an even layer and the freezing operation iscontinued untilV the column is substantially solid or, if desirable, has a hole of predetermined size therethrough. l

A harvestingoperation is then started which involves melting the tubes free so that they; fall from the tubes, and as they-emerge fromthe bottoms of the tubes they are severed into predetermined lengths to form the cubes.` Duringthe freezing operation Water isA circulated through the tubesK at a rate which is in excess of the amount frozen, and the Waterin excess of that which is frozen is collected in a sump tank to which fresh water is added and from which water ispumped and recrculated through the freezing tubes. Y

With apparatus such as that referred to above,

diiculty has been encountered in producing uni- Y form high` quality ice without frequent adjustment and cleaning. Machines such as those referred to above have, however, been sold as pack7 age units that is, self-contained units are built and sold for installation by the purchaser, and are put into operation by making connectionsto the water supply and drain `and to a source of electric power. The operationis then automatic with the ice-making and harvesting operations being carried onin accordance with a controlled cycle. Under some circumstances, the salt confcentration is high so that there is ya tendency for the ice to become cloudy and commercially unacceptable, and special care must be taken: to maintain the salt concentrations within permis,- sible limits. It is advisable, howevento avoid complicated and costly equipment and touse'a minimum amountof Water consistent with the production gof maximum quantities of `commer cially acceptable ice. i, i

, An important feature of this type of equipment from a commercial standpoint is that the -ce produced is uniform in size and shape and, of course, is of high quality; that is, the vice cubes are clear and hard and `of substantially the same size and shape. It has been found, however, .that

apparatus such asthat referred to above will, under some conditions of operation, produce ice .which is not uniform and, in fact, which i`s=not entirelyl satisfactory from a commercial standpoint. For example, if the Vice builds Vup at an `excessive rate in one particular tube it may freeze solid and become sub-cooled excessively prior to the end oftheffreezng `cycle `and then part or all of it may not become dislodged during the harvesting cycle. If due to this or another cause, a body of ice remains in one of the freezing tubes after a harvesting cycle has been completed, there is great danger that the tube will be damaged during the next freezing operation.

Provision has been made in apparatus of the above character for preventing the completion of a freezing operation if one or more of the tubes are obstructed. However, it is still important to insure that ice builds up at the desired rate in all of the freezing tubes. As `indicated above, with this type of apparatus, when `water is oweddown the inner walls of the freezing tubesat a very rapid rate, clear and hard ice forms in an even layer. This is because the rapidly 'flowing layer of Water covers the entire inner surfaces of each ci the tubes, and this effect has been obtained by projecting individual streams of the water against the top of -each of the four side wall surfaces of each tube. Thus four streams are projected into each tube from corresponding outlets-or openings in a nipple or water distributor in thefbottom of awater header where the water is maintained under pressure by the water circulating pump referred to above.

Y In practice, however, it has been found that one or more of the outlets from these nipples may become clogged; for example, by the accumulation of foreign matter including coagulated or crystal- Iized salts when the salt vconcentration is high. When one or more of the water outletsin -a nozzle becomes Yclogged there is a corresponding decrease in the rateat which water flows through that tube. Thus, while the water may tend to spread -out over the entire inner surface of that tube, Nthe rate of water'iiow isreduced because of the lesser quantity which is being delivered to the tube. This reduced rate of water flow not only causes the ice in that tube to become cloudy and have white streaks running through it, but this reduced rate of flow causes the ice to build up at an increasedy rate so that that 'particular tube becomes fil-led with a column of ice prior "f to the completion of the freezing operation in the othertubes. For example, ice-mac7 completely fill one tube While relatively thin shells are being formed in the other tubes.

In the apparatus of Serial No. 57,158, now Patl ent No. 2,593,874, the harvesting operation is initiated whenever one or more of the tubes become lled with ice sufficiently to interfere materially with ,the flow of water therethrough. This has been extremely satisfactory as a mode of control for4 most conditions of operation because the freezing is uniform in the various tubes and they all becomesubstantially filled withcolumns-of ice of highquality at substantially the same time; that is, by the .time one or more of the tubes have the water flow obstructed by the ice suiiiciently toy initiate the harvesting operation. However, .with such controlv it has been found that, when there is an obstruction as discussed above in one .or more openings in a nipple supplying water to a tube. so that ice builds up and viills that tube with ice prematurely in the cycle, then a harvesting cycle is also started prematurely. As indicated above, under such circumstances the one tube having obstructions in its water supply openings is filled with poor quality ice while the other tubes have only shells. of ice in them and, therefore, the apparatus. produces no ice of acceptable quality and size.

1n accordancel with the present invention, an

4 arrangement is provided for insuring that the water will be distributed evenly and will iiow continuously down all of the tube surfaces throughout the entire freezing cycle. The invention contemplates a water distribution arrangement wherein solid particles such as crystallized salts or foreign matter will not interfere Wit-hthis flow. Thus, the freezing cycle will be carried on to completion without danger of being stopped by the premature building up of ice in the tube. Furthermore, the water is delivered to the tubes in such a manner that it does not tend to flow at a reduced rate through any area of the freezing surfaces of the tubes.

ln the draw-ings, in which is shown one embodiment of the invention:

Figure l is, a schematic diagram of an icemaking machine of the character referred to above and incorporating the present invention;

Figure 2 is a top plan View with parts broken away of the water distributor header of Figure l;

Figure 3 is a side elevation with parts broken away of the header of Figure 2;

Figures 4, 5 and 6 are sectional views respective.- ly on the lines Q 5-'5 and 6 6 of Figure 3;

Figure '7 is a section on the line 'i-l of Figure 6; and y Figure 8 is a View similar to Figure 7 but showing another embodiment of the. invention.

Referring to Figure 1 of the drawing there is represented schematically at the top a bank of freezing tubes to the tops of which water is directed by a header 3 supplied by a pump 5from a sump tank The water flows down the tubes and some is frozen, and the amount in excess. of that frozen in the tubes returns to the sump tank.v A fioat valve 8 connected to a source of water opens and closes automatically to maintain a predetermined level in the tank. The freezing tubes are cooled by an evaporator E to which liquid refrigerant is supplied through a thermostatic valve il having a bulb I3. The gas refrigerant from the evaporator is withdrawn by a compressor |5 having an electric motor Hi hermetically sealed within its casing. The compressed gas passes from the compressor I5 to a water-cooled condenser I cooled by water supplied through a valve i8. The refrigerant is here liquefied and passes to the evaporator. During the harvesting cycle hot gas refrigerant is passed from the compressor to the evaporator to heat the freezing tubes; accordingly, a pipe i3 (indicated by broken lines) is provided having a normally-closed solenoid valve 2| therein which valve is opened to connect the outlet side of the compressor to the bottom of the evaporator.

Power to operate the machine is supplied through a main control switch 23 to a pair of lines 25 and 2 which are connected direc-tly to the compressor motor. Line 25 is also connected to the armature 29 of a double-throw solenoid switch 3| and also to one side of a thermostatic switch 33. Line 2l is connected to one side of each of the solenoid valves 2|, the ice cutter motor 37 which operates the mechanism to cut the ice into cubes, the water pump motor 39 which drives pump 5, and the solenoid 4| of switch 3|. Switch 3| has a contact 43 which is closed when the switch has its solenoid deene'rgized, and this contact is connected to the other side of the solenoid of valve 2| and also to the other side of motor 31; and it has its normally-opened contact 45 connected to the pump motor 39 and alsov to one side of a thermostatic switch 41. The. other side. of switch a seal.

ae'aaocs' 41 isconnected to solenoid 4l andto switch 83'. The operationof rthe -machine will `be explained` after the construction of the water distributor and the associatedparts have been explained in dei-,mL ,1, n r

` Referring tothe upper portion of Figure 1, there is shown the bank of square `freezing tubes Ipositionedin side-by-side relationship with a plate`48 between the side walls of each two adjacent tubes; Onthe opposite sides of the bank of tubes there are two evaporator sections-of evaporator 9 formed by horizontal runs of metal tubing-with the sections `being connected by headers. )The bank of freezing tubes and the evaporator sections are covered by insulation and enclosed in a sheet metal casing. `Atthe top of the bank of tubes there isa horizontal water supply headerl 3 which is enclosed in an insulation shell, and projecting from the bottom wall ofthis'header into the top of each of tubes is a water distributor nozzle4 54 which directs water againstthe innersurfaces ofthe four walls of its tube. 1 i

i At the bottom of the freezing tubes there is an ice-cuttingassernbly which is not shown but is shown and described in detail in the above-identified applications. This' assembly severs the columns of ice which are formed in the tubes into lengths vto form-the ice cubes 'which are passedby gravity to a storage bin.` VAt the begi'nningof` theharvesting operation the columns of iceare released by passing hotgas into evaporator 9 and at the same time the ice cutter as'- sernbly isstarted. rIihis operation continues until the temperature of the evaporator risesthus indicating that the-ice has been freed and has dropped from the freezing tubes. At this timev the `harvesting Y 'operation is" discontinued and a new freezingoperation is started. As indicated above',Y during the freezing operation water is pumped into header at the top ofthe freezing tubes and it iiows down the entire inner surfaces of each of these` tubes. The construction of header 3 isshown in Figures 2 to 7 and .will now beidescribed. Referring to Figure 2, a unitary elongated metallshell 60 is fabricated of separate plates and has side walls 62 and 64, a right-hand end wall 66, a removable left-hand end wall 68, a top wall 10 (see Figure 3), a bottom wall 12 and a horizontal longitudinal dividing wall or partition 14. {End wall 68 is clamped in place by a pair of bolts 16 which are held by a pair of angle brackets 18 welded to the side walls, and a gasket y80` on the inner surface of the end wall provides The .header is clamped in place on the bank of tubes by bolts (not shown) extending through a plurality of tubular brackets 82 welded to the side walls of the shell, and the entire shell iscovered with heat insulation 84. Partition 14 divides the space within the shell into a lower water-supply header or passageway 86 below the lpartition and an upper water outlet passageway 88. i

' Referring to vFigure l, water is `supplied to passageway 86 through a pipe 90 which extends from pump and the water discharge passageway 88 has a water outlet pipe 9| extending downy wardly and projecting into the enlarged upper end of a pipe 95 which extends tothe sump tank 1. A thermostatic bulb 91 of switch 41 is positioned in pipe 95 with its tube 98 extending pipe95 to'lthesump tank. The-icooling, ofbulb 91 opens switch'41 andinitiates the cycle as discussed above; i

harvesting Referringvto'Figures 2,8' and 4, header has mountedin'its bottom wall the Vwater distribution onto the lower end of the pipe, and the `upper end of the pipe is rigidly supported by a threaded engagement in an fopening ||8'in partition 14. Pipe |4 4projects through a water discharge opening V|04 in` bottom wall 12 and deilector :|06 is positioned beneath this `wall in the` top of the freezing tube The deflector presents `a top spreader or target surface |08 which is annular and is positioned concentricallywith the annular discharge opening |04. Thus, as water l flows downwardly from the discharge opening it" is projected against this surface |08 and is Vdeflected annularly against the top of the inner surfaces of the freezing tube.' Thus, unobstructed passageways are provided from header passageway 86 into the tops of the freezing tubes and thel downwardly owing stream of water islintercepted by the target or deector to divert the waterinV an annular stream against the tubewalls. In the embodiment of Figure 8, the deiiectorL |06 has a plurality of radial vanes |28 which Y assist in diverting the water against the tube walls.

The upper end of pipe I4 projects substantially above partition 14 and therefore the pipeprovides anV overflow discharge from the top of its freezing tube into passageway 88 so that water may ow from the freezing tube upwardly through the pipe and overflow inthe passageway. As indicated above, passageway 88 is provided witha' water outlet pipe 9| through which water flows freely with the result that the water level in passageway` 88 does not rise above the upper ends of pipes H4; therefore, water does not flovvvup one of these pipes and thence` back down another into the freezing tubes. `As shown at the right-hand end of Figures 2 and 3, passageway 88 has a vent tube |20 which vents this passageway to atmosphere, and it also provides an emergency outlet for water if there should be a stoppage of pipe 9|. i During operation, as outlined I above, water fiows up through pipe 90 into passageway 86 and it is discharged through the nozzles 54 into the tops of the freezing tubes. The path of the water is unobstructed so that particles of crystallized salts and even foreign matter of substantial size can pass through passageway 86 and then through the nozzles and down the freezing tubes into the sump tank. Such a foreign particle might be of sufficient size to momentarily interfere with the water flow through a nozzle but the particle will not become lodged because the rapid water iiow carries it along.

As indicated above, during the freezing operation water is pumped into header 3 at the top of the freezing tubes and it flows down the entire inner surfaces of each of the freezing tubes.`

The refrigeration system is operated to maintain the freezing tubes at a temperature low enough to; produces.. relatively .rapid .formation of .ice onthe inner snrfacesof' the freezing tubes.. This ice builds up within the tubes inthe form of columns having cylindrical openings therethrough. As the freezingcontinues these openings become smaller until .the free nowxof .water through the freezing zone. that is. beneath the nozzles, is interfered with; and, at that time, the freezing operation is stopped and the harvesting opera.- tion is started.

the entry 4to the freezing' zone is utilized Vto perform the kfunctionoi stopping the freezing operation and starting the harvesting operation. Accordingly, when the water backs up in one. of the. freezing tubes the `pressure from header `86 causes the water to flow .up pipe t! and into passageway d as discussedabove. This water flows from passageway 88 through pipe `9i V(see Figure 1I) .downwardly over thermostatic bulb 3T, andthe water .is cold so that it cools this bulb. This. initiates :the harvestingoperation by opening switch. d? as will be discussed more fully below.

`l?.ositioned near thetop of the central freezing tube is .the bulb ad. (Figure 1)4 of thermostatic switch 313. FJ'Sherinostatic switch 33 is so adjusted that it closes when .the temperature of the freezing tubesis substantially above 32 and the switch. .opensagain when the temperature drops belowuz-.and thermostatic switch di is closed when .the temperaturefof' its .bulb 9.1*is above 44' and this .switch ,opens when the temperature of its bulb drops below aBa temperature. 'In Figure l the elements are. shown at the start of the freezing cycle when the freezing .tubes are still at ambient temperature. Thus, the closing of switch 23 starts the compressor.motor .I4 and switch 33 being closed solenoid 4i is energized so that its armature 29 is lifted. The r-aising of this armature opens the circuit of the` ice cutter motor 3l and solenoid 2i and it energizes the water circulatingr pump motor 3d so that water is supplied tothe freezing tubes. Furthermore, the raising of armature 29 energizes switch El and this switch bein'g'closed an interlock circuit is set up for switch 3i thus connecting solenoid 4l through armature 2,9, contact 45, and switch il to line 25.. Therefore, when vthe temperature of the freezing tubes drops so that switch 3.3 opens this interlock .circuit` holds solenoid lll energized and continues the freezing operation asl-ong as switch 47 is closed.

During normal operations switch 4l' remains closed until at. least one of the. columns of ice has its central opening reduced sufficiently to materially restrict the flow of water therethrough. At that time the water backs up as outlined above in the top of the freezing tube and ilows through the pipe IM, passageway 88 and pipe 9i, and falls onto bulb 97. This immediately cools the bulb and opens switch 4'1 so that, solenoid di is deenergized and armature 2'9 drops. This disconnects line from pump motor 3.8 so that water is. no longer supplied to the freezing tubes. Armature 29 falls into engagement with contact 43 so that line 2,5 is connected to solenoid valve 2l and the ice cutter motor 3l, the other side of each of which is connected to line 21. Therefore, solenoid valve 2l is opened and the cutter motor is started, thus initiating the harvesting operation. The operation of the compressor continues so that the opening of valve 2l causes the hot refrigerant .gas to ow from the compressor to the. evaporator. This l0 The backing-` up or accumulating .of Vwater at heats the freezing tubes so that the columns of ice are released and the ice cutter motor 3l is operated to out .the ice into cubes as outlined above. The harvesting operation continues until the temperature of the freezing tubes ,rises to a value which indicates that they are free of ice at which time a. new freezing cycle is started and the cycle of operations is then repeated.

With this arrangement the ice freezes through substantially the same. thickness at all times even though there are variations in the ambient. and water temperatures. Furthermore, if for any reason there is a stoppage in one of the tubes due to a failure of the ice to clear during the previous harvesting operation the freezing operation will be terminated and a harvesting operation-will be started immediately. It has beenfound that the water flow is `uniform and constarrt even under vextreme conditions, such as the'presence of foreign matter or veryV high salt` concentrations and the like. Thus, the difficulties referred to above as Well as others are avoided and uniform ice of extremely high quality is produced. Furthermore, the apparatus does not need servicing it being merely necessary to hush out the sump tanl: periodically to remove solid particles therefrom.

As many possible embodiments may be made" of the above invention and as many changes. might be made in the embodiment above set forth,V it is vto be understood that all matter hereinbefcre seti forth, or shown in the accompany-v ing drawing, is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

We claim:

l. In apparatus of; the character described,

combination of, ice forming means including,4 a plurality .of refrigerated passageways through-which liquid to `be. frozen flows and within which ice forms so as. .to restrict the iiownear the. end of a freezing operation, means to supply the liquid to be frozen to said passageways comprising a plurality of individual nozzles eachof which has a single outlet. and which are sub. stantially unrestricted in the sense that they will pass. water containing particles of foreign matter and salts, means forming av discharge outlet from each of said passageways adjacent the liquid inlet, and control means responsive to .the flow of liquid through said outlet to discontinue the freezing operation.

2. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of, means forming a plurality of refrigerated passageways through which liquid to be frozen flows and within which ice. forms, and liquid distributing means including, a liquid inlet, passageway and a plurality of liquid discharge nozzles and overflow outlets each of which is. formed by struc-ture forming a single center passageway and a surrounding annular passage- Way through which liquid flows, and target means in the path of the incoming stream.

3. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of, ice forming means including a plurality of parallel freezing tubes which are positioned in side-by-side. vertical relationship, and a` header assemblyl comprising means forming inlet and outlet compartments and a plurality of nozzle assemblies each connected therewith and each of which includes, a central pipe and a concentrically positioned colla-r surroundins said. pipe thereby providing an annular passageway concentric with the passageway through the pipe. said nozzle assemblies corresponding in. number with the tubes and beingrespectively associated therewith to deliver water thereto and to permit water to overflow therefrom, whereby waterl may flow through one of said passageways to said tube and through the other of said passageways from said tube, each of said nozzle assemblies including an unobstructing water-diverting means to divert the water entering the tube against the tube walls.

V1. Apparatus as described in claim 3 wherein each of said nozzles includes, a substantially disc-like member which constitutes the Waterdiverting means and which has an annular diverting face positioned in alignment with said annular passageway, said disc-like member including a plurality of radial vanes extending along said annular surface.

5. In ice making apparatus in which ice is formed in a plurality of refrigerated vertical tubes by flowing liquid through said tubes, a liquid header assembly above said tubes comprising, a supply header, means forming Water supply orifices leading from the supply header to the tops of said tubes, spreader plates associated with said orifices to spread the liquid flowing from the supply header through the orifices thereby'to direct the liquid against the tube walls, and means forming a discharge header connected to the top of each of said tubes and so arranged that liquid overflows from the tops of the tubes into said header.

RODNEY F. LAUER. CLAUDE V. SHURTIEFF.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the lle of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

